To lose weight and obtain many other health benefits, many people join an intermittent fasting protocol that limits the hours of the day during which we can eat food. Then we leave you seven tips For starting to intermittent fasting safely and sustainable.
Consult with a health professional
Before starting with any important modification in our diet we should know what state our body is in. For this reason, before starting an intermittent fasting protocol, it is advisable consult a health professional.
perform a medical check To know if there is any alteration at the metabolic level is of great importance, as well as to know if intermittent fasting is not a method not recommended in our particular case.
Plan your schedules based on your routine
For our intermittent fasting protocol to be successful, it is essential to choose the type or protocol appropriately for us. Thus, it is important that Let’s plan the periods of fasting and eating according to our routine.
We must consider our working hours, our current routine and training schedules, since it is advisable in addition to include within the fasting period the hours of night restinclude the time we spend away from home and cannot comfortably eat food.
This is key so that when we start practicing an intermittent fasting protocol it is not so complex for us to carry it out. Therefore, We always recommend planning.
Start little by little to extend the hours of fasting
For those who eat many meals a day especially, we recommend start gradually by extending the hours of fasting.
For example, we can gradually delay breakfast and bring dinner forward a little more each day, trying initially achieve a 12-hour fast which can later become a 16-hour fast, as we change the schedules.
progressively We recommend adjusting to the periods of fasting and eating, to make it easier to implement an intermittent fasting protocol in beginners.
Remember that its sustainability over time is essential
Before starting an intermittent fasting protocol we recommend knowing exactly what it is this resource as well as, be clear that it is essential to sustain it over time to see your results.
That is, we must remember that it is not a temporary alternative or a fad diet, which we start a month and ends leaving obvious effects on our body. For this reason, we must be willing to incorporate intermittent fasting as a lifestyle that regulates our diet by establishing certain times or periods for food intake.
Always consider the quality of what you eat
When starting an intermittent fasting protocol, many make the mistake of eating a lot and of poor quality during the intake periods. Or, there are those who choose this resource because they consider that it is possible to eat everything without worries, as long as we respect the schedules.
The reality is that during periods of eating controlling both the quantity and quality of what you eat is keybeing advisable to choose satiating preparations for meals prior to fasting and always, complete and nutritious dishes, based on real food.
We also advise avoid ultra-processed foods and dishes prepared outside the homein such a way that intermittent fasting benefits us as we wish and is also useful for losing weight.
Avoid being aware of the clock every day
Since the basis of intermittent fasting is the schedule regulationestablishing periods of eating and fasting, many are the people who become anxious during the hours when food cannot be consumed.
So, we recommend not to be aware of the clock every daybut gradually set up a routine that allows us to always eat in periods of intake and that makes fasting periods bearable without us longing to consume a bite every certain time.
Remember to drink liquids without calories in the fasting period
Another common mistake resulting from a misunderstanding of the term “fast” is not to drink (or eat) at all during periods of non-eating.
Fasting implies not entering calories or energy into the body, therefore, we can drink fluids without calories such as water or various infusions without sugar.
It is even recommended drink enough fluids each day and therefore, the best thing we can do is hydrate ourselves adequately during periods of eating and also, during fasting, choosing as regular drink water and other options without sugar, alcohol or calories.
These are seven tips to start intermittent fasting safely and healthilytherefore, we recommend its consideration before starting to practice this resource that, well applied, can greatly benefit health.